Articles by Derrek Lee

The Galaxy Buds 2 design hints at where Samsung plans to position them.

What you need to know

The first images of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 have emerged from FCC documents.
Images show a design that’s strikingly similar to the Galaxy Buds Pro.
The Galaxy Buds 2 are expected to launch later this year along with a bevy of new Samsung products.

Images of Samsung’s next earbuds have leaked for the first time thanks to an FCC document spotted by AllAboutSamsung. The images unveil a design that looks smaller and sleeker than Samsung’s earlier models.

These new earbuds appear to adopt a similar design as the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, which are currently some of the best wireless earbuds on the market. It’s expected that these will be aimed positioned as a successor to the original Galaxy Buds launched in 2019. This would likely position them at a lower price point than the flagship Buds Pro, offering a more stylish option for users that don’t want to break the bank for a good audio exp…

Google Messages may not be on the same level as iMessage, but Google is slowly trying to change that.

What you need to know

Google is reportedly adding the ability to pin conversation in the app.
For now, users can only pin three messages to the top of their list, but the number could change.
Apple has a similar feature in iMessage, which lets users pin contacts to the top of their conversations list.

Google has slowly been working towards making Google Messages a better option for texting, and the latest look into the app shows a useful feature that may arrive soon. Pinning conversations isn’t a new concept since many of the best messaging apps can do it but may finally arrive on Google Messages.

XDA Developers spotted the new feature in the latest update to the app and even managed to get it to work. At the moment, the app seems to only allow up to three conversations to be pinned, but it’s possible that number could change. In the screenshots below, you can see the pin optio…

The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds have something to prove.

What you need to know

More details about the upcoming Sony WF-1000XM4 have emerged.
The earbuds will reportedly feature up to 24 hours of battery life with ANC on, 36 hours without ANC.
LDAC, Hi-Res Audio, and Precise Voice Pickup will be supported.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 are rumored to retail in Europe “soon” for €280.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds are expected to launch soon, and more details of the successor to one to the best wireless earbuds have just been revealed.

According to WinFuture, the upcoming Sony earbuds will feature a whopping 24 hours of total battery life with ANC turned on. That’s eight hours per charge from the case, extending to 12 with ANC turned off and a total of 36 hours.

Those numbers are quite a bit higher than the Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds, which feature fantastic battery life but only manages up to a total of 24 hours. It’s also notably higher than the five and eight respective hours provide…

The OnePlus Nord N100 was overshadowed by its 5G-touting counterpart, but that could change this time around.

What you need to know

OnePlus has teased the launch of its next budget 5G smartphone.
The OnePlus Nord N200 will feature 5G connectivity, something that was missing on its predecessor.
OnePlus says to “stay tuned” for more information on the launch date.

OnePlus teased the launch of the latest Nord N smartphone for the U.S. The OnePlus Nord N200 5G is expected to be the company’s most affordable 5G smartphone, following after the budget OnePlus Nord N100.

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau did not divulge any details about the device, only that the company “is committed to making the 5G experience more accessible than ever.” The current OnePlus Nord N100 sits under the OnePlus Nord N10 5G and is currently the company’s cheapest model, although it does not feature 5G connectivity. Assuming OnePlus doesn’t jack up the price much, its successor could become one of the best Android phone…

Verizon one-ups T-Mobile with its Google Play Pass offer.

What you need to know

Verizon is offering Google Play Pass or Apple Arcade to its subscribers.
Depending on the plan, users could get up to a full year of access for free.
The offer requires a new line activation to qualify.

Verizon has announced a new offer for its customers, giving them free access to Google Play Pass or Apple Arcade for up to a year when you subscribe to one of its Unlimited plans. The offer is available for both new and existing customers on some of the best Verizon plans that offer unlimited data and 5G access.

Google Play Pass free with Verizon Unlimited plans

Verizon is now including up to 12 months of Google Play Pass for free with its Unlimited plans, and best of all, the deal is available for both new and existing customers. You’ll also score access to other streaming services like Disney+ and Discovery+ for free as a member.

Shop at Verizon

With Verizon’s latest offer, if you’re on Ve…

Sonos products are getting smaller and smaller.

What you need to know

A patent filing suggests Sonos is preparing to launch a pair of wireless earbuds.
The Sonos earbuds would feature a fairly unique design and charging methods.
There’s no indication on when or if they will announce the near earbuds.

Sonos is reportedly working on a pair of wireless earbuds, according to a patent spotted by Zatz Not Funny. The earbuds appear to feature a very flat and angular design, not too far off from the Sony WF-1000XM3, and there’s also a unique case that will house the earbuds on either side instead of right next to each other. But the real story is apparently how Sonos wants these buds will charge.

The patents aren’t exactly easy to discern, but one case could feature some type of removable battery plate that would attach to each earbud from the looks of it. This could provide the earbuds with more juice if they’re in use and you don’t have time to put them through a charge cycle.

Thi…

WhatsApp’s new policy change isn’t going well.

What you need to know

The Indian government has asked WhatsApp to withdraw its controversial privacy policy.
WhatsApp has not complied but has stated that it will not limit access to users that haven’t accepted the new policy.
WhatsApp will continue to remind users about the new policy, even though “the majority of users … have accepted them.”

WhatsApp has stated that it won’t limit user accounts in India for not accepting the privacy policy. The company made the statement (via LiveMint) in response to the Indian government’s request to halt its controversial privacy policy for violating India’s laws.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said in a statement that the company is complying with the letter from the Indian government over the new policy while also reiterating that the update doesn’t affect personal messages. “Its purpose is to provide additional information about how people can interact with businesses if they choose to do so.”

T…

Samsung is reportedly working on a more adaptable UI for its Galaxy devices, starting with the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

What you need to know

Samsung is reportedly preparing a new “adaptive UI” for its Galaxy devices.
Leaks show UI elements automatically adjusting to a user’s actions.
The new UI could appear on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 before rolling out on other devices.

Samsung may be preparing a new “adaptive UI” with its next major update to One UI. Leaker Ice Universe posted a series of GIFs that show off the UI in action, adapting to different form factors from smartphones to tablets and foldables like the rumored Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.

The GIFs show the same applications adapting the UI to different form factors. It will reportedly be called “Split UI” and debut on the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 3.

2 pic.twitter.com/Tnt4rvLKMm— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) May 23, 2021

While One UI 3.1 is already found on many different types of devices like the best foldable phon…

Verizon one-up’s T-Mobile with its Google Play Pass offer.

What you need to know

Verizon is offering Google Play Pass or Apple Arcade to its subscribers.
Depending on the plan, users could get up to a full year of access for free.
The offer requires a new line activation to qualify.

Verizon has announced a new offer for its customers, giving them free access to Google Play Pass or Apple Arcade for six months or a year. The offer is available for customers on some of the best Verizon plans that offer unlimited data and 5G access.

That means if you’re on Verizon’s Start Unlimited plan using one of the best Android phones, you’ll have access to six months of Google Play Pass at no additional cost. However, if you are on Verizon’s Play More or Get More unlimited plans, you’ll receive a year Google Play Pass. The same goes for iPhone users and Apple Arcade.

The offer should help to entice users onto Verizon’s network, which is currently battling it out with T-Mobile for 5G dominanc…

Google Photos will help you get rid of images you might not want.

What you need to know

Google Photos is launching a new tool to help users manage their storage.
The app will give users an estimate of how much longer they’ll have until they reach their storage limit.
Another tool will bring up potentially unwanted images based on certain criteria.

Google Photos will soon enforce its new storage policy, which will no longer provide free storage for high-quality uploads for most users. To help ease the transition, Google is launching a new tool that will help users to manage their Google Photos storage to free up space.

The new review tool in Google Photos will help sort the files that users may not want, taking up precious space. It will allow users to pull up blurry images or large files, taking up too much space from the free 15GB allotment.

Once you open the app, tap on your thumbnail and select Account Storage to navigate to the Back up & Sync settings. Select Manage St…